Various types of databases are commonly used to store, manage, access, and otherwise utilize data. In associated database operations, data may be read, created, updated, deleted, compared, combined, or otherwise manipulated.
In practice, a given database may be accessed in an overlapping or parallel manner by many different users. For example, many users may submit overlapping transaction requests to the same database within a given period of time. In such scenarios, it is important that the data within the database is kept current, accurate, and consistent. For example, data modifications made by a first user must be completed and available prior to using the same data to satisfy a request from a second user, in order to ensure that the second user receives timely and accurate results.
Consequently, a transaction request from a user may be delayed until preceding transaction requests, related to the same data, have been completed. The resulting delay experienced by a given user may, in some cases, be minimal or trivial. However, in scenarios such as those referenced above, in which a large number of concurrent transaction requests are received, users may experience cumulative delays that are unsatisfactory or unacceptable.
In particular, for example, web-based applications, such as e-commerce or social networking applications, may enable millions of users to simultaneously attempt to access one or more databases supporting the corresponding web-based applications. The above-described difficulties may thus be particularly problematic in such scenarios. As a result, users (e.g., customers) of such web-based applications may be dissatisfied, and businesses providing the web-based applications may experience losses in customer loyalty and in profitability.